New Taipei City Deputy Mayor Lee Ssu-chuan (李四川) is to serve as deputy mayor for Kaohsiung mayor-elect Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), the incoming mayor’s office said on Saturday night, adding that the two share similar ideas about Kaohsiung’s prospects.
After winning the Kaohsiung mayoral election on Nov. 24, Han is to take office on Dec. 25.
Following his announcement on Dec. 3 that former minister of transportation and communications Yeh Kuang-shih (葉匡時) would become one of Kaohsiung’s deputy mayors, Han confirmed media reports that Lee would be the second deputy.
Photo courtesy of New Taipei City Government
Lee’s strong sense of duty and his education and work experience make him an optimal candidate for the post, Han said through his nominee for Kaohsiung Information Bureau director-general, Anne Wang (王淺秋).
Prior to his current position in New Taipei City, Lee served as Executive Yuan secretary-general, and deputy commissioner and director of the then-Taipei County department of public works, Wang said.
Han and Lee would make “a great team,” given that they share similar political ideals, as well as characteristics typical of country folk, Wang quoted Han as saying.
Lee yesterday said that he was born into a fishers’ family on Pingtung County’s Siaoliouciou Island (小琉球), and spent most of his working life as a public servant in Taipei.
He has not had a lot to do with Han previously, Lee said, adding that he missed several calls from him until Han’s daughter, Han Bing (韓冰), contacted him through her secretary.
After several meetings with Han Kuo-yu, Lee said that he found the mayor-elect to be a candid and zealous person who wants to improve the livelihood of farmers and fishers.
He gained outgoing New Taipei City Mayor Eric Chu’s (朱立倫) approval before accepting the Kaohsiung post, Lee said.
Asked whether he aimed to help Chu in a potential 2020 presidential bid by consolidating Chu’s support base in Kaohsiung, Lee said he does not hold that much sway and elections are not as important as promoting good policies.
He would seek to replicate the successes of the New Taipei City Government in Kaohsiung by promoting public care centers for infants and elderly people, promoting organic lunches for students, increasing interaction between the two cities, and improving roads and the tourism industry, Lee said, adding that facilitating negotiations among government agencies is one of his strengths.
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